This Mom Got Shamed for Working Out at Target: ‘You Are Obstructing the Aisle’

Sia Cooperdoesn’t need a gym membership. The personal trainer from Destin, Florida, burns calories at the gas station and in the laundry room. But some Instagram users felt the busy mom of Greyson, 3, and Everly, 17 months, took it too far when she squeezed in a workout at her local Target.

The 28-year-old shared a clip of herself doing walking lunges and squats while pushing her youngest around the store earlier this month. But it went viral after SELF posted the video to its official account on Saturday, October 15.

“OMG we’d totally do this in Target,” read the SELF caption. But not all of their followers agreed.

“This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen!! Target is a sacred place of awesomeness!! Don’t make me feel bad for roaming the aisles while snacking on cheese doodles!!” wrote one woman. Snipped another: “Go to your house to work out. You are obstructing the aisle.” A third described Cooper as looking like “a lunatic.”

Cooper, who was trolled for her six-pack abs when she was pregnant with Everly, is taking the criticism in stride. “People are either bored with their lives or unhappy with themselves to pick apart every little thing that they see on social media,” she tells Us Weekly. “People will make their own excuses for not making the time to workout, even though I give them creative ways to do so. It might not be their cup of tea, but no reason to bash it.”

The video was meant to be lighthearted, says Cooper. “I was shocked and in disbelief that people could have such a hateful opinion over something that wasn’t serious to begin,” she tells Us. “People completely took something fun and trashed it like they always do.”